After Sunrise: A New Dawn
by Notnerd24
Summary: Seven moons after Sunrise, ThunderClan is flourishing with the births of many kits and plentiful prey. But over the horizon, a new danger stalks, waiting to take it's revenge on the unforseeing clans. And a small kit discovers her true role in clan life.
1. AlleigancesPrologue

**Warriors**

**After Sunrise: A New Dawn**

**Allegiances**

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Firestar- ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt  
Deputy: Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom  
Medicine Cat: Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blue eyes, blind

Warriors:

Squirrelflight-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes  
Apprentice- Foxpaw  
Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom  
Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat  
Cloudtail- long-haired white tom  
Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom  
Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom  
Brightheart-white she-cat with ginger patches  
Apprentice- Rosepaw  
Spiderleg-long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes  
Temporary Apprentice- Icepaw  
Birchfal-light brown tabby tom  
Graystripe-long-haired gray tom  
Berrynose-cream-colored tom  
Apprentice- Toadpaw  
Hazeltail-small gray-and-white she-cat  
Mousewhisker-gray-and-white tom  
Lionblaze-golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
Cinderheart-gray tabby she-cat  
Poppyfrost-tortoiseshell she-cat

Apprentices:

Foxpaw- reddish tom  
Icepaw- white she-cat with blue eyes  
Rosepaw- dark cream she-cat  
Toadpaw- black and white tom

Queens:

Whitewing- white she-cat  
Kits- Ivykit, Dovekit

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell and white she-cat cat

Kits – Sootkit, Runningkit, Snowkit  
Daisy- cream she-cat  
Ferncloud- pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat

Kit, Puddlekit  
Millie- gray tabby she-cat  
Kits- Bumblekit, Briarkit, Blossomkit

Elders:

Longtail- pale gray tom with black stripes, blind, retired early due to failing sight  
Mousefur- elderly dusky brown she-cat, the oldest cat in ThunderClan  
Purdy- tabby tom with gray muzzle, former loner  
Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat, former medicine cat, resigned early due to breaking warrior code

SHADOWCLAN

Leader- Blackstar- huge white tom with black paws  
Deputy: Russetfur- ginger she-cat  
Medicine Cat: Littlecloud- very small tabby tom  
Apprentice- Flamepaw

Warriors:

Oakfur-small brown tom  
Apprentice- Tigerpaw  
Tawnypelt- toritoseshell she-cat  
Rowanclaaw-ginger tom  
Smokefoot-black tom  
Ivytail-wite-and-tortoiseshell she-cat  
Apprentice- Dawnpaw  
Toadfoot-dark brown tom  
Crowfrost- black-and-white tom  
Apprntice:Olivepaw  
Kinkfur-tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles  
Ratscar-brown tom with long scar across his back  
Apprentice: Shrewpaw  
Snaketail-dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail  
Apprentice: Scorchpaw  
Whitewater-white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye  
Redclaw- mottled brown and red tom  
Owltalon- brown tom

Apprentices:

Olivepaw- tortoiseshell she-cat  
Shrewpaw-gray she-cat with black feet  
Scorchpaw-dark gray tom  
Flamepaw- ginger tom  
Tigerpaw- dark brown tabby tom  
Dawnpaw- cream-furred she-cat

Queens:

Snowbird- white she-cat  
Kits: Whitekit, Shadekit

Elders:

Cedarheart- dark gray tom  
Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

WINDCLAN

Leader- Onestar- brown tabby tom  
Deputy- Ashfoot- gray she-cat

Apprentice, Swallowpaw  
Medicine Cat: Kestralwing- mottled gray tom

Warriors:  
Crowfeather-dark gray tom  
Owlfeather- light brown tabby tom  
Whitetail-small white she-cat  
Nightcloud- black she-cat  
Gorsetail- very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes  
Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws  
Harespring- brown-and-white tom

Apprentice, Sedgepaw  
Leaftail- dark tabby tom, amber eyes  
Apprentice, Thistlepaw  
Dewspots- spotted gray tabby she-cat  
Willowclaw- gray she-cat  
Antpelt- brown tom with one black ear  
Emberpelt-gray tom with two dark paws  
Apprentice, Sunpaw  
Heathertail- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
Breezepelt- black tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:  
Sunpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead  
Swallowpaw-dark gray she-cat  
Thistlepaw-long-haired white tom  
Sedgepaw-light brown tabby she-cat

Elders:  
Webfoot-dark gray tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden she-cat  
Deputy: Mistyfoot- blue gray she-cat  
Medicine Cat: Mothwing- dappled golden sh-cat  
Apprentice- Willowshine

Warriors:

Blackclaw-smoky-black tom  
Voletooth-small brown tabby tom  
Reedwhisker-black tom  
Beechfur-light brown tom  
rippletail- dark gray tabby tom  
Apprentice, Mallowpaw  
Graymist- pale gray tabby  
Dwnflower-pale gray she-cat  
Dapplenose-mottled gray she-cat  
Pouncetail- ginger-and-white tom  
Mintfur- light gray tabby tom  
Apprentice, Nettlepaw  
Otterheart- dark brown she-cat  
Appretice, Sneezepaw  
Pinefur- short-haired tabby she-cat  
Apprentice, Robinpaw  
Rainstorm- mottled gray-blue tom  
Duskfur-brown tabby she-cat  
Apprentice, Copperpaw  
Minnowpool- dark gray she-cat  
Pebblefrost- mottled gray tom

Apprentices:

Nettlepaw- dark brown tabby tom  
Robinpaw-tortoiseshell-and-white tom  
Copperpaw-dark ginger she-cat  
Mallowpaw- light brown tabby tom  
Sneezepaw-gray-and-white tom

Queens:

Icewing- white she-cat with green eyes  
Kits: Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Grasskit, Petalkit

Elders:

Mosspelt- tortioseshell she-cat with blue eyes  
Swallowtail-dark tabby she-cat  
Stonestream-gray tom

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS  
Smoky- muscular gray tom, lives at the hoseplace  
Floss-small gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace  
Sol- white-and-brown tabby long-haired tom with pale yellow eyes  
Hollyleaf- black she-cat with green eyes, former ThunderClan warrior

PROLOUGE

_"Hollyleaf!"_

She heard her brother's voice almost at the same moment she heard the rumble of the earth. The half-light shining through the entrance disappeared as the tunnel started to collapse.

Hollyleaf spun around, but could barely see anything anymore. Terror and hopelessness made her fur bristle, and her claws automaticly unshealthed. There was no way out, the falling earth will reach her any moment, it was so dark she could only barely see her own paws...

_Do you want me to die, StarClan?_ she snarled silently, backing away to the farthest corner of the wall. Maybe StarClan wanted to get rid of her, the cat with a medicine cat mother and WindClan father.

Everything about her destroyed the warrior code her ancesters created...

Now rage tempered her fear, and all at once she could think clearly. She had been here before, and back then she had thought she wouldn't have been able to escape either. But Jayfeather knew a way, somehow...

Hollyleaf shot forward as the tumbling earth started to hit her. She stumbled, and fell right where she was trying to get to. The river.

Even underwater, she was hit by falling boulders, forcing her deeper and deeper into the river. There was no way to tell where she was going, and she could only rise up now and then before to take a gasping breath before she was forced down again.

_How far is this river?_ She hoped it would go to the lake soon, she couldn't keep this up much longer. Her long fur weighed her down, and her head was starting to spin with lack of air. _I can't die, not yet! _

_The prophecy! I'm still part of the prophecy._

And then, suddenly, the swirling river became calm, the crashing earth had stopped, everything was quiet and still. Hollyleaf's head burst through the surface, and she glanced around. She was in the lake.

Gritting her teeth, she set out wearily toward one of the shores, the closest. Before long she felt her paws reach the pebbles and sand of the shore. Too tired to care about anything, she simply collapsed right there, with the water still lapping at her back paws. But her heart was beating to hard, her breath was too fast, to fall asleep.

She glanced around. She was in ThunderClan territory. For a moment she felt relief that she could go back to the hollow and go back to her familer nest and just sleep. Then she was full of disgust, disgust of herself for thinking that and disgust at her own Clan. They were liers, all of them, and her brothers knew that she killed Ashfur. By now the Clan would know it. She could never go back.

Hollyleaf shut her eyes tight and buried her head under her paws. She had survived, but now she had nowhere to go. Her whole life as a Clan cat was based on the warrior code, but now she wasn't even a Clan cat, and her own existence completly destroyed the warrior code. This was more hopeless the finding out the walls were crumbling around her, and the entrance to the tunnel had collapsed, blocking almost every escape.

_But the prophecy!_ She had to go somewhere. The prophecy must be fulfilled, and drowning in self-pity wasn't going to do anything to help fulfill it.

_The warrior code is destroyed, but the prophecy isn't._ Hollyleaf rose to her paws. The sun was rising, warming and drying her fur. She realized that this was so close to the place she killed Ashfur. She stared out across from teh spot to the Windclan border, where her father was, then turned her back on everything. She didn't know where she was going, she just walked on the shore, letting the waves gently lap at her paws. It would hide her scent, hide any tracks she would create on the shore. Before she realized it, she was nearing the ShadowClan border.

The place where the borders met was teh place she padded up. The stream that led down to the lake whispered quietly down, in the opposite direction she was going. A vague plan was forming in her mind, and she barely thought about it when she padded toward the old two-leg nest.

She padded straight up to the entrance. She took a deep breath before she called out quietly, "Sol?"

A dark, looming shadow was suddenly standing in front of her. She took a step back and looked up. Sol's face was expressionless, calm, like always. She felt a flutter of mingled fear and dislike, but she ignored it. She needed Sol if she wanted to do what was right.

_I have to do something. Sol knows about the prophecy, he's the only one I can learn from. If I can learn about the prophecy, make it come true, then I can undo everything that went wrong. I can take revenge for what has happened, I can restore the warrior code._

She took another deep breath. "Sol, I killed Ashfur, and I can't go back now, but I need to train, to learn more about the prophecy and teh Clans. I need to make the Clans great again, and I can, because I'm one of the Three in teh prophecy."

"If you _are_ part of the prophecy." Sol's voice was cool, clear, and deep, and seemed to hold hidden secrets.

Hollyleaf bristled. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm part of the prophecy! We're kin of Firestar's kin! Leafpool is our mother! Me and Jayfeather and Lionblaze..." her voice trailed off as she realized that her brothers must think she was dead. Longing to see them rose above almost everything else. _I'll meet them again soon. Once I find out what my power is and once I have a real plan. Then we can do all this together._

Sol looked at her for a moment, and then nodded slowly. "Very well, then, Hollyleaf. I will teach you. The Clans will change because of this prophecy, and you and I will make sure it is for the better."


	2. The Patrol's Discovery

**Chapter 1**

**The Patrol's Discovery**

Ivykit and Dovekit were playing in one corner of the nursery under the watchful eye of their mother. Jayfeather sat nearby, watching them with an intensity that seemed unnatural for just a medicine cat checking on a queen's first kits. It was as if he actually could see them.

Jayfeather glanced back at Whitewing from watching her kits, his blind blue eyes careful even though his voice was light and even. "They're both doing really well," he commented.

Whitewing purred loudly. "Of course," she meowed, looking at her kits fondly.

Jayfeather paused, and then continued. "Are they ok? Anything unusual about them?"

Whitewing blinked, tilting her head to one side as she surveyed Ivykit and Dovekit. "No, why?" Her voice was worried now.

Jayfeather shook his head. "It's nothing, I just wanted to make sure," he replied smoothly, while inside he was burning with frustration. He turned back to the kits, his ears pricked. "They're healthy and strong, both of them. They'll make fine warriors when the time comes."

"Thank you, Jayfeather," Whitewing replied, then added softer, "You're a great medicine cat. I know that all this must be hard for you, with Leafpool and everything..."

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes and turned away. "Yeah, right," he muttered. "See you later." He

padded out of the nursery before the queen could say any more. He could sense Daisy, Ferncloud, and Millie all staring after him, but he ignored that.

Jayfeather padded into the medicine cat's den and started putting away some of the marigold leaves he had set out to dry this morning. He didn't know how long and taskful a medicine cat's life could be when there was only one of them. He and Leafpool used to split up the duties, making sure that everything was done in plently of time. Now he barely had any time to rest over everything that needed to be done.

"Hey, Jayfeather," Lionblaze's voice called from right outside the den. The golden warrior padded inside. "Firestar wants to see you."

Jayfeather's ears pricked. "Huh? How come?" The leader had never requested a meeting with him before.

Lionblaze lowered his voice, even though there was no one else in the den. Tension was rippling like waves around Jayfeather's brother. "I was just on the dawn patrol, and we found prey on our territory that was half-eaten. It all had ShadowClan scent. We just told Firestar, I think he wants a medicine cat's advice on what to do."

"What? ShadowClan's stealing food?" Jayfeather turned and faced Lionblaze. "That doesn't sound right. ShadowClan might be sneaky, but they follow the warrior code. They would have taken the fresh-kill back instead of eating the prey on ThunderClan territory."

Lionblaze nodded excitedly. "That's what I thought. And it all looked...too careful, like ShadowClan _wanted_ us to see that they were stealing food."

"They're trying to provoke us!" Jayfeather realized. He shook his head in astonishment. "I'd better go talk to Firestar."

He followed his brother outside, where his Clanmates were already up and about. Whitewing had let her kits outside to play with Briarkit, Bumblekit, and Blossomkit. Millie's kits were almost ready to be apprentices.

While walking past the elder's den, Jayfeather caught the scent of Leafpool, just walking outside. The former medicine cat moved slowly, like an elder, and sadness seemed to radiate from her like a cold wind. After she had been revealed to have broken the warrior code, she had resigned her post as a medicine cat and would have left, but Firestar wouldn't allow his daughter to be driven out. Now Leafpool was considered an elder, and she even seemed like one. Grief had aged her a hundred moons.

Jayfeather moved carefully up the path to the Highledge. The last time he was here was when he had brought Firestar strengthening herbs after he lost a life to greencough. The flame-colored leader had almost all his strength back by now, but Jayfeather had advised him of staying in his den during the colder weather.

_Thank StarClan this Leaf-bare is almost over._ It had been hard finding herbs alone anyway, let alone in the dead of Leaf-bare when there was nothing to find.

"Jayfeather," his kin greeted him warmly when Jayfeather sat down. "How are you?"

Jayfeather shifted uncomfortably. "Fine, thank you," he replied awkwardly. He hoped Firestar would just get on with what he had brought Jayfeather there for.

Firestar must have sensed his impatient mood, so he stood and meowed calmly, "I'm sure Lionblaze had told you what happened. I need to know whether I should take this seriously or ignore it. Have

Starclan shown you anything like this?"

Jayfeather blinked, and tried to collect his thoughts. _You should talk to Leafpool, not me,_ he thought despite himself. "Uh...no, they haven't," he stammered. "StarClan have been quiet lately." _They've given up. They're at war with each other. But I'm not going top tell Firestar about _that_._

Firestar shook his head, looking disappointed. "Ever since Ashfur was killed," he muttered to himself.

"Maybe Ashfur is angry because he was never avenged."

_Hollyleaf_. Jayfeather felt the now-familiar pain over the death of his sister, still raw over moons. "No, it's not Ashfur," Jayfeather replied quietly. "His death is behind us now. There's nothing any cat can do." He sat up higher and raised his head, trying to get Firestar's mind off Ashfur. "Double the patrols at ShadowClan, at least. Try and catch them in the act of stealing our prey."

"Right," Firestar was now thinking of peace talks and proving to Blackstar what his Clan was doing. Jayfeather breathed a sigh of relief at the change in conversation. "Thank you, Jayfeather." He nodded, dismissing him. Jayfeather padded outside, feeling Firestar's gaze on his back.

Jayfeather took a deep breath when he felt the fresh air on his face. _There's something wrong here, i don't like it._ He hoped that, whatever this new threat was, that it would pass soon.

**This chapter was kinda boring, I know. Buttt…it's a set up for what's to come:)**

**Thanks for the positive feed back! If you review this chapter you get a Jayfeather plushie! :D**


	3. The Ceremony

**WOAH! I'm shocked by how much positive feed-back this story has gotten! Well thanks, everybody! I'll try to update much faster that before, so you can actually get all of this story before The Fourth Apprentice is released! Anyways…I now bring you…Chapter Two.**

Chapter Two

The Ceremony

Dovekit glanced around. "Is Jayfeather already gone?" she asked curiously to Whitewing, but before her mother answered, Ivykit suddenly leaped at her and bowled her over into the nursery wall.

"Hey!" Dovekit hissed playfully and batted at her sister. They were well-matched as fighters. Ivykit was stocky, built more like her father, and was heavier and stronger then Dovekit. But Dovekit liked how she could beat Ivykit, and even the older kits, in a race. She was quick, and she used this talent now by darting to one side before Ivykit had a chance to pin her down. She was able to land a soft blow to Ivykit's side before she scooted away.

Ivykit whined. "No fair!" she growled, and licked her ruffled fur. Whitewing padded over. "That's enough rough play," she scolded. "Go outside if you want to fight so you won't destroy the nursery."

Dovekit sighed and quickly licked her own scruffy pelt before going outside with her sister. The Clan were all padding around. She noticed a hunting patrol leaving, and she yearned to follow them. She would like nothing better then to try out her hunting techniques.

Ivykit, too, was watching them with a wistful expression. "I heard that Bumblekit and Blossomkit and Briarkit are getting apprentice names today."

"_What?_" Dovekit's head whipped around, but she knew that Ivykit was telling the truth. She sighed.

Now they were going to be the only kits.

"It won't be long for us, we're only about a moon younger," Ivykit said.

"Yeah." Dovekit replied, sighing again. "Let's go find something from the fresh-kill pile," she added, trying to get her mind off her own envy of the soon-to-be apprentices. Ivykit agreed, and the two

raced each other to the pile of fresh-kill. Dovekit beat her sister easily and took a mouse by the tail. "Here, catch!" she called, and flung the mouse at her sister. Ivykit yelped as it hit her full in the face.

"That's no way to treat your food," said a stern voice behind her, though that voice was plainly trying hard not to laugh. Dovekit whirled around and nearly tripped. Blossomkit was watching them with an amused expression.

Ivykit padded over with he mouse in her jaws. "We were just practicing hunting skills," she mewed sheepishly. Bumblekit and Briarkit, standing behind their sister, laughed.

Dovekit's temper flared up suddenly at the older kits laughing at her sister. Before she made a sharp

retort, Bumblekit spoke up. "We're becoming apprentices today!" he declared.

"Lucky you," muttered Ivykit.

Dovekit nodded. "Congratulations," she replied calmly, pushing her resentment of the kits down. They had a right to be excited. She stifled a yawn, feeling suddenly tired. She had been awake half the night.

Briarkit, the calmest and more sincere of the three, nodded back at her. "You'll be apprentices soon, too."

"Yeah, ThunderClan is going to need more apprentices soon," Bumblekit interuppted. The large tabby tom was evidently bursting with news. "I heard Brambleclaw tell Graystripe that we're going to attack ShadowClan soon! They've been stealing prey!"

"You _heard_ them talking," scoffed Blossomkit. "You spied on them, more likely." Bumblekit ignored his sister.

"That's not completly true," said Dovekit. "It's not that big yet."

"What is? And how do you even know?" asked Ivykit curiously.

Dovekit shurgged. "I just know."

"Anyway, ShadowClan better watch out!" Bumblekit growled proudly.

Ivykit joined in their excited discussion about the possible fight with ShadowClan, but Dovekit didn't feel like joining in. It seemed somehow obvious to her that ShadowClan didn't seem to be the source of the problem yet. Instead, she went back to the nursery, feeling that there was nothign better to do then just sleep.

She curled up in her nest and closed her eyes. Almost immediately, she felt herself drifting to sleep.

The next moment, she heard a faint trickle of water running over rocks, and opened her eyes wearily. The next moment she scrambled to her paws, her breathing quick as she gazed around. She had never been here before, in this strange clearing in the middle of a forest. A small pool of water lay in the center, and the stars and moon were unnaturally bright as she glanced up at the sky. She knew instinctively that the time in this forest was Green-Leaf, even though she had never lived in that season before.

She blinked, confused. What was she doing here? How can she dream of a place that she never been in? But before she could ponder anything else, a twig snapped behind her, and she spun around.

A slim tortoiseshell she-cat was padding toward her, her calm amber eyes looking straight into Dovekit's eyes. Starlight sparkled like a thousand tiny gems around her paws and fur, making her pelt silver. Behind her, three more cats were walking, but stopped at the edge of the clearing. One was a tom, a large whtie tom that seemed uncomfortable, as if he didn't approve of something. The other two were she-cats, one a light brown tabby with bright, searching blue eyes, while the other had matted gray fur.

_StarClan!_ Dovekit stepped back a pace, awed by the starry ancestors. She realized that this must be

StarClan territory, and fear battled at her amazement. _Am I dead? How did I get here?_

The tortoiseshell touched noses with her, adn Dovekit shivered at the icy-cold touch. "Dovekit," she meowed warmly. "Don't be afraid. I am Spottedleaf. My companions here are Whitestorm, Honeyfern, and Yellowfang."

The other three nodded at her, and she nodded back, too frightened to speak. She had heard of Honeyfern, the brave she-cat who died saving Briarkit from a snake, but she had never heard about the others.

Yellowfang spoke up. Her voice was sharp as she said, "The time for lies has passed. We tried to keep secrets before, tried to keep the Clans safe, but look at the trouble they have got into. We are telling you the truth now about your past, your past and your future."

Spottedleaf sighed. "Right. Come here, Dovekit, and look into this water." She indicated the pool. Dovekit, getting over her fear, stepped past Spottedleaf adn gazed into the pool.

She flinched away from what she saw. It wasn't the clear, transparent water she had expected. It was as if she was looking down into a cave. Firestar was there, listening to an old elder as he spoke in a smooth, faraway voice. _"There will be three, kin of you kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws_."

The image disappeared, and Dovekit looked up. The four cats were watching her with unreadble expressions. "Three, kin of Firestar's kin...hold the power of the stars in their paws..." she meowed cautiously. Spottedleaf nodded. Dovekit suddenly remembered- Whitewing telling her that her father, Cloudtail, was kin of Firestar. "_Me?_" she gasped.

"One is you, Dovekit," rasped Yellowfang. "Or so we believe."

Dovekit heard her, heard her own instincts, and knew that the old she-cat spoke the truth. "How?" she gasped. "_Why?_"

"This prophecy comes before us," Whitestorm spoke for the first time. "We do not know."

Dovekit shook her head, trying to keep the weight of this knowledge from crashing down on her. "Then...who are the others?" She asked, trying to distract herself. "Ivykit? She's kin, too."

Spottedleaf blinked, looking suddenly wary. "Dovekit, Ivykit is not part of the prophecy." Dovekit knew she wasn't lying, but there was something that the she-cat wasn't telling her.

Spottedleaf lifted her head suddenly. The stars were starting to fade. "There is not much time left to talk," she meowed.

She lowered her head and gazed right at Dovekit. "You have a gift Dovekit, powers, and you have used them already. Learn to use them for the good of ThunderClan, for _all_ the Clans, for the warrior code."

"But..." She couldn't believe this. Before she could get a real question out, Spottedleaf stepped back, and Honeyfern padded up. The young warrior touched noses with her. "I wanted to meet you," she said softly, and a little sadly. "If I would have lived, I would have had a family, I would have had kits, like Whitewing." She turned her head slightly, and Dovekit jerked her head back in horror. Two tiny holes, a perfect shape for two long fangs, were half-healed in her skin. Small but deadly-looking. A snake bite.

Spottedleaf stepped up again. "Look after yourself, Dovekit," she murmered. "StarClan is watching over you. You're not alone in this, either. Look for the others. They will guide you, help you." Her voice was fading as she spoke, and a great wind had started blowing across the clearing, sending waves of water from the pool onto Dovekit's fur.

"Wait!" Dovekit called franticly. "Who are the others?" Spottedleaf paused.

"We thought it was Leafpool's kits, Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Hollyleaf. Now it has been revealed to us that Hollyleaf is not one of the three, even though the Three's destiny are shaken by her's. Now, her place amoung the Three is taken by you." She turned away. "Take care, Dovekit." The roaring wind, for a moment subsiding, pressed in again, so hard that Dovekit shut her eyes against it.

"Dovekit!"

That voice wasn't one of the StarClan warriors. Ivykit, her voice excited and envious at the same time, was shaking her hard. "Wake up! Its time for the apprentice ceremony!"

"What...?" Dovekit opened her eyes, and for a moment she was shocked to see the plain nursery walls.

"Bumblekit, Briarkit, and Blossomkit! Come on, Firestar won't wait for us!" Ivykit meowed impatiently. Still slightly disoriented from her vivid dream, she padded behind her sister outside. Firestar was already speaking.

"Bumblekit, from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bumblepaw. Birchfall, Ashfur had mentored you well. I trust that you will pass on everything you know to Bumblepaw."

Firestar went on to name Briarpaw's mentor as Mousewhisker, and Blossompaw's mentor as Hazeltail. Dovekit hardly listened. She glanced around to see Lionblaze and Jayfeather sitting together, calling out the new apprentice's names cheerfully. She wouldn't have been able to tell that they had the power of the stars in their paws. Maybe it was just a dream, nothing more.

She shook her head. She had always been good at separating truth from lies, and she knew instinctively that it was real.

She padded back into the nursery, even though she didn't feel tired at all. For most of the night she stayed awake, pondering, over and over, what Spottedleaf had said.


	4. Border Battle

CHAPTER 3 – The Border Battle

Lionblaze brought his third mouse back to his makeshift fresh-kill pile, hidden under a bramble bush so no fox would come around and steal it.

He stared down at the pile, feeling a hollow emptiness that stayed with him almost all the time ever since Hollyleaf died. He wished that some action would occur, something that would take his mind off everythign that has happened ever since he had become a warrior.

"Lionblaze!"

Lionblaze spun around, his muscles automatically tensing, but the voice was small, quiet, but not threatening. He relaxed as soon as a small, slim gray shape emerged from the undergrowth to face him.

"Dovekit?" That was surprising. "Why aren't you in the nursery? You're not allowed to be in the forest, remember?" He hadn't seen much of Whitewing's kits. Jayfeather seemed to watch them all the time, trying to figure out which cat was one of the Three.

"I...wanted to talk to you," she replied hesitantly.

"Huh?" That was even more unusual. Kits don't usually talk to warriors that they barely know.

Dovekit sat down, her calm green eyes careful. "You're Firestar's kin," she began hesitantly.

Lionblaze stiffened. Where was this leading?

Dovekit continued. "What happened to your sister? Hollyleaf?"

Lionblaze narrowed his eyes, confusion rising up in him. "She died moons ago, around the time you were born."

For a moment Dovekit looked down. "You're not lying, but you're not telling the whole truth."

"How do you know that?"

"I just do." The little gray she-cat looked up at him. "You thought that Hollyleaf was one of the Three, right?"

Lionblaze, his eyes widened in shock and horror, backed away a few paces from the she-cat who seemed to suddenly know his one great secret, something he had learned as an apprentice and had never revealed to anyone. He had thought only Jayfeather knew, and Firestar, but now..."You're the Third, right? You, not Hollyleaf,"

Dovekit nodded, looking awed now. "I had a dream, but I wasn't sure that it was real."

For a moment Lionblaze couldn't think of anything to say. _Jayfeather needs to know this, now._ Jayfeatehr would know what to do.

"Where's Jayfeather? Do you know?" Lionblaze asked.

"By the ShadowClan border, collecting herbs." Dovekit replied immediately.

Lionblaze didn't ask how she knew that. There was plenty of time for that later. He bounded forward, hearing the little she-cat running after him, faster then he would expect. he glanced back, and saw the kit weaving through the trees and bushes like a snake. _Not bad for a kit._

Almost at once he picked up a trail. Here marigold leaves have been stripped from the plants, and the scent followed even deeper into the forest. Lionblae quickened his pace, and Dovekit started to fall behind.

He was too intent on following the scent-trail he crashed right into Jayfeather, who was tearing off leaves of some herb and putting them in a neat pile. The tabby tom jerked back, hissing, before he realized who Lionblaze was. "What?" he asked irritated. "Look at this! It took forever to stack all these herbs, and your ruined it!"

"You sound like Leafpool when she's angry," replied Lionblaze, and instantly regretted it. Jayfeather's

blue eyes darkened and narrowed. Even though he was blind, Lionblaze could still see the anger in his eyes. "Listen, this is important!" Lionblaze said quickly. At that moment Dovekit burst from the undergrowth, panting hard.

"Dovekit?" Instantly Jayfeather's curiousity was breaking through his irritation. "Why are you here?"

Dovekit straightened up, shaking leaves and twigs from her kit-soft pelt. "It's the prophecy," Lionblaze murmured. "It's true. She's the Third."

Jayfeather stared at him, wide-eyed from shock, before turning to Dovekit. "How do you know this?" he asked her.

"I had a dream, I-" Whatever Dovekit was about to say was cut from a raging yowl of fury. All three of them froze.

"_Stealing our prey again?_" That was Birchfall. Dovekit's fur began to bristle at her father sounding so angry.

"_What are you talking about?_" That was a voice he couldn't identify. It wasn't ThunderClan. Now Lionblaze could see a flash of bright-colored pelts near the ShadowClan border. He instinctively crouched and stalked forward. "Listen," he whispered to the others.

"Look at this fresh-kill! It's proof that ShadowClan has been here!" Now it was Sandstorm that spoke up, and her voice was livid with rage.

"What about the ThunderClan warrior that's been stalking around our borders?" Kinkfur snarled.

"Don't try to deny _that_. We've caught the scent, it's obviously ThunderClan. We've even seen the warrior before it ran away!"

"Liars," Birchfall hissed. "You're trying to find a way to get a war started. Stealing prey, making these accusations..."

Dovekit flinched. "They're going to fight!" she whispered, sounding horrified.

"That's what you've been doing!" Russetfur spoke up. "Don't you dare try to accuse ShadowClan!"

The hissing and snarling became louder now, and all at once became battle cries as the two patrols surged forward. Without thinking, Lionblaze leaped forward.

As he escaped from the undergrowth, he could see that the two patrols had met in a small clearing. Sandstorm seemed to be leading, with Birchfall, Sorreltail, and Thornclaw. There were five ShadowClan cats fighting against them.

They were outnumbered. Lionblaze could easily see how he would affect the fight. He turned back to Jayfeather and Dovekit, both crouched half-hidden in the shadows, but they would be spotted soon.

"Protect Dovekit," snarled Lionblaze to his brother. Without another word, he plunged headfirst into the battle.

------------------------------------

Dovekit watched with mingled terror and elation as Lionblaze threw himself into the fight. At that moment, Sandstorm was fighting two ShadowClan warriors, while Thornclaw was wrestling with the matted-furred she-cat, while Sorreltail and her father were fighting side-by-side.

The great golden tom was a blur as he shot at who seemed to be the leader, a ginger she-cat. Lionblaze clawed swiftly down her side before turning and scoring another blow at a warrior sneaking up behind him. The two ShadowClan cats fought together, but they were getting more and more heavily wounded as Lionblaze twisted and ducked and fought amoung them, never even recieving a scratch.

_It's true!_ Dovekit thought, awed. _He has the power of the stars in his paws!_

One of the ShadowClan warriors broke away from Lionblaze and blundered blindly away, hissing with pain. She realized that the warrior was coming right to her and Jayfeather, still half-hidden in the shade of a thorn bush.

Jayfeather reared up as the warrior came close enough and slashed at hia muzzle. The tabby warrior jerked his head back, snarling savagely. Jayfeather took a defensive position in front of her, hiding her from view.

Dovekit glanced back to the battle and saw every cat fighting. Jayfeather looked as scrawny as an apprentice next to the lean, battle-scared ShadowClan cat. The medicine cat was blind and didn't have any of the experience of a warrior. Frustration whelmed up inside her. If only she knew how to fight!

Dovekit crouched down in what Icepaw taught her once as a fighting crouch. Jayfeather whipped his tail. "Don't you dare!" he hissed quietly to her.

The ShadowClan cat shot forward and raked his claws against Jayfeather's face, bowling him over in the same moment. Jayfeather leaped to his paws again and lunged blindly. The ShadowClan warrior dodged and circled, aiming for Jayfeather's left flank.

_He's feinting!_ Dovekit realized. She didn't know how, she just did. The tabby warrior struck, aiming at first for Jayfeather's left flank, but Dovekit could see how he would change targets in a moment. _Look out!_

Jayfeather either knew as well as Dovekit or read her thoughts. He spun away and dodged from the sudden attack on his throat, a much more deadly blow then the ShadowClan cat's feint.

Suddenly there was a flash of gold fur, and the ShadowClan cat was literally blown off his paws and landed fox-lengths away, hitting a tree. Lionblaze stood there, a kind of mad fire in his eyes that made Dovekit shrink back.

"The battle is over," Jayfeather murmured, and Dovekit glanced around to see that it was true. The ShadowClan cats were retreating, slinking back into the taller pine trees of their territory.

"Jayfeather, look at Sandstorm, she's hurt bad," sad Lionblaze. His voice was empty, hollow, as he watched the last of the ShadowClan cats leave.

Dovekit wheeled around to see Sandstorm lying on her side, a large, bright red gash on her neck. Her eyes widened in horror.

Jayfeather brushed past quickly, stopping only to gather a cobweb on one of the bushes. He patted down the web firmly before searching quickly for more. "Dovekit, there's marigold right there by one of the bushes. Get it."

Dovekit looked around, and could see the familiar leaves, shooting up from early newleaf weather. She recognized it from a mixture put on a thorn scratch she had once. She tore of a few leaves and ran to Jayfeather. He grabbed them and swiftly chewed them up before applying them to the gash.

"Is she ok?" Dovekit asked. She could see now that even though Jayfeather's own battle techniques made him almost helpless in a fight, he was an efficient medicine cat, perfectly calm and being quick and firm at the same time.

"She'll be ok. She fainted, this wound is deep and she lost a lot of blood, but it hasn't damaged

anything major. Now that I've seen to it, it shouldn't be fatal."

"Good," a voice behind her said. Dovekit stiffened, and turned around slowly. Birchfall was glaring down at her. She gulped.

_"What are you doing here?_" Birchfall exploded. "I find you _here,_ right on the border of ShadowClan, _in the middle of a battle_-"

"Birchfall, calm down," interuppted Jayfeather. The small gray tom was looking up from his examination of Sandstorm's wound. "It's my fault she's out here, really."

"What? Why?" Birchfall asked, momentarily forgetting his anger with Dovekit.

Jayfeather turning away, seeming not to hear him, but Dovekit could tell he was pretending not to listen. "Lionblaze, Sorreltail, carry Sandstorm, please, but be careful not to touch this cut on her neck." The two least-hurt warriors rushed over to help. Thornclaw, limping heavily, followed as they started going back to the camp. Birchfall was sent back to watch the border for a while.

Jayfeather brought up the rear, walking side-by-side with Dovekit. "How did you do that?" he murmured quietly, so the others couldn't hear.

"Do what?"

"Back in the fight, you knew Toadfoot was feinting. How?"

"You _did_ read my thoughts!" Dovekit hissed back.

Jayfeather nodded, replying "the prophecy," as if that explained everything. "But you knew, and you don't have fighting experience." He suddenly gasped. "Of course. Its the prophecy again! It is you!"

"What? What can I do?" Dovekit asked, suddenly excited.

"I...don't really know." Jayfeather admitted. "This is confusing."

"Jayfeather!" The call came from Sorreltail. "I think Thornclaw needs your help! He can barely walk."

"Mousedung," muttered the medicine cat, and he quickened his pace, leaving Dovekit alone in the back.

She was caught up in thoughts in the moment; she barely realized Jayfeather had left. She had a power! But what was it? She knew that this Toadfoot was feinting. Could she have some advantage over battles, like Lionblaze? Or was it some advanced instinct?

She realized suddenly that she had slowed her pace, lost in confusing thoughts, and the ThunderClan cats were too far ahead of her. She had lost sight of them. "Great." She could follow them easily by scent, but she didn't want to get into more trouble. She sped up.

And then, out of nowhere, forbidding hit her like a wave, almost knocking her off her paws.

A strange terror washed through her, and she shivered. Dovekit turned and stared into the darkening forest. "Who's there?" she whispered.

A dark shape was looming toward her, and unusually bright green eyes surveyed her. Dovekit backed away, trembling, but the unknown cat was quicker. The black shape leaped at her silently, like a ghostly shadow.

Dovekit's screech was cut short as the cat bowled her over roughly and slapped a paw over her muzzle. "If you value your life, don't make a sound," the cat hissed into her ear. The voice was unmistakably a she-cat's, and Dovekit believed her.

The cat picked her up by the scruff of her neck and turned. Dovekit fumed at her helplessness as the cat started running, away from the patrol, away from ThunderClan. She wished she was larger, already an apprentice or even a warrior, able to fight this unseen foe.

She thrashed and clawed at the muzzle, and the she-cat hissed in pain but didn't stop her strides back into the forest, on a path that didn't seem to lead to ShadowClan, but was close to it.

Dovekit whimpered. She wished, now more then ever, that she was back at the camp with her sister by her side.


	5. Captured!

CHAPTER 4 - Captured

Dovekit was set down roughly in a pitch-black area. The air scented like moss and mold and the air was completely still even though she could hear the wind whistling shrilly through trees. She looked up and couldn't see the stars except for a few patches where the blackness gave way. She could tell that she was in some sort of nest with a cracked and patched roof.

The unknown cat padded away, leaving her in the darkness, but Dovekit knew that she was still watching her. The unnaturally luminous eyes shone like two green moons, unblinking.

She heard the cat murmur something too low to hear, and another shape stir next to her. She could only see the outline of a long-legged, long-haired cat as he stood up, supposedly from sleeping. Dovekit pricked up her ears to listen to what they were saying.

"From which Clan?" the cat, who had a deep, calm low voice, asked.

"ThunderClan," the she-cat answered.

The larger tom looked over at her. "Let us go outside. It's lighter out there." He flicked his tail at the she-cat and Dovekit before rising to his paws and going to a hole in the wall and disappearing.

The she-cat turned and stalked over to Dovekit and watched her closely as Dovekit padded outside as well, feeling that it was foolish to disobey the tom for now.

The night was dark, but barely beginning to lighten, so now she could see the two cats clearly. The tom was tall, with a long tail and legs. His fur was brown with tortoiseshell markings, and his eyes were a very pale yellow. He seemed calm and collected, his tail wrapped neatly around his paws and his eyes gentle and surveying.

The she-cat, who was young and slightly smaller then the tom, was the opposite, fidgeting restlessly and pacing back and forth. Her fur was completely black, sleek and unmarked, except for her muzzle, which was covered in shallow, short scratches that Dovekit had made her on the journey here. The-cat was very well groomed, and, as she moved, Dovekit could see lean muscles knotting under her fur.

Both of these cats couldn't be rogues, they were too well-fed, but they couldn't be Clan cats. The black she-cat scent seemed almost familiar, carrying a hint of ThunderClan, but otherwise she was unknown. They didn't smell like the ShadowClan cats that she saw in the fight, but they could have been WindClan or RiverClan.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

As she asked that question, she felt an instinct tell her an answer. They weren't Clan, and they were dangerous. The names of the cats were also there, and she strained to find it. It was like trying to find a memory.

_My power!_ For a moment, she was distracted.

"My name is Sol," The tall tom purred.

The black she-cat hissed. "It's not safe to tell the kit names right now." she warned. "ThunderClan is the enemy of us both."

Sol looked over at her, amusement in his eyes. "What can a mere kit do with this knowledge?" he asked calmly.

"Knowledge is power," the she-cat replied, acting as if that settled everything.

"True." Sol turned back to Dovekit, whose eyes had widened in horror. "But you're...you're Ashfur's killer!" She leaped back, putting a distance between herself and the suspected murderer that she had heard so much about.

"Wait, what?" The black she-cat stepped up. "You think _Sol_ killed Ashfur?" Disbelief and something less definable was in her voice.

Dovekit didn't answer, moving back, away from the two rogues, still looking for the name of this she-cat.

"They didn't tell anyone." The she-cat's voice was shocked, and actually _relieved_. "Jayfeather and Lionblaze didn't tell anyone the truth."

With the names of those two cats, understanding whelmed up over Dovekit. "You're Hollyleaf." Her strange power-instinct let her realize something else. _And you killed Ashfur._ She didn't dare to say it outloud.

Neither of them seemed to hear her. Sol was apparently in deep thought, while Hollyleaf had resumed her pacing. "They can't be following the warrior code by lying to the Clan like that," she murmured. She was talking only to herself. "But how can them, when the code is destroyed like it is. Nothing but lies, secrets and lies..."

Her voice trailed off sadly, and shook her head. "If only I knew that they weren't going to tell anyone the truth," she meowed, still to herself. "If I had known, the Power of the Three would have come much sooner..."

Dovekit stiffened, but luckily no one noticed. _She still thinks she's the Third!_ she thought. _But I know it's me. I just...know._

"What is your name, kit?" Sol asked suddenly. Dovekit shrunk away. She didn't like the idea of telling

her name to them.

"You don't have to tell us, I know who you are," Hollyleaf growled. "Whitewing's kit. Dovekit."

Dovekit narrowed her eyes. Sol stepped forward hastily. "Hollyleaf, catch us all some prey. I'll watch over Dovekit."

Hollyleaf stared at her suspiciously, and Dovekit tried her best to glare back, but she was unnerved by her too-bright eyes. _She's mad._ Dovekit thought to herself. _She's lived in secrets and lies too long, and she believes she can't be hurt because she thinks she's in the prophecy._

Spottedleaf's voice rang in her ears again, talking of Hollyleaf. _Hollyleaf is not one of the three, even though the Three's destiny is shaken by hers._ Back then she didn't understand, because it was common knowledge that Hollyleaf was dead. But Hollyleaf was alive. She was a murderer, and believed herself invincible.

"Fine, I'll be back before sunhigh." She padded the opposite way from Clan territory, up to higher ground.

Sol watched her leave, and, when she was out of sight, turned back to Dovekit. His calm yellow eyes held a thousand secrets, secrets Dovekit were afraid to find out. "I know the truth. You know too, don't you?"

"What?" She didn't understand.

"You have taken the place of Hollyleaf among the prophecy."

"How..." Dovekit took a step back. "How could you know?" She didn't think to deny. Sol sounded so sure...

"Dovekit, did you think that no one but your kin know the prophecy? This prophecy will affect the Clans in ways that are almost impossible. A change this big will spread among minds."

His voice was soothing, deep, and Dovekit looked away, feeling that this cat had a strange gift of having cats believe him.

"Dovekit, Hollyleaf was right before. Knowledge is power. This knowledge will lead to great futures for the Three."

Dovekit shook her head, trying to concentrate. She didn't want to fall under the sway of Sol's words, like Hollyleaf. "But you haven't told Hollyleaf the truth," she accused. "Why are you letting her believe she's in the prophecy?"

For a moment, Sol seemed irritated that she had asked this, before shaking his head, sympathy showing in his eyes. "Hollyleaf has been through much, dear Dovekit. Having her life, her future swept out from under her paws will be awful for her. Such pain is not something I would never give to her."

_Liar!_ Dovekit knew, as she knew so many other things because of this...power. _Every part of that is a lie!_

"Fate has brought you here, Dovekit. I know many things, secrets of StarClan and the Clans, of the Tribe, of Ancient warriors who are your own ancestors."

Dovekit shook her head strongly. "No. Hollyleaf stole me. It has nothing to do with you. I don't need your help. How do I know you won't lie to me like Hollyleaf?"

"Patience, Dovekit." Sol replied soothingly. "You have lived in lies. Do you know the secret of Lionblaze and Jayfeather? Do you know who their real parents are?"

"Uh..." Dovekit thought for a moment. "No, but how important can that be?"

"You see. ThunderClan has lied to their kits, as they have been lied to by StarClan."

"StarClan? They don't lie, do they?" She couldn't help the question.

"StarClan are not all powerful. They do not know as much as you think, and they cover this with mysteries and secrets. You live in shadows, Dovekit."

Dovekit shut her eyes tight. She didn't like this loner who seems to know so much. "Why are you keeping me here, then?" she challenged. "I want to go back home."

"That is not my decision. Hollyleaf is skilled in finding ways to turn the Clans against each other."

"What do you..." Understanding hit Dovekit. "ThunderClan will think ShadowClan stole me." Fury pure as lightning flashed through her.

"It's for the Three, Dovekit. Once ThunderClan defeats ShadowClan, they will be unstoppable. Who will stop the Three from ruling the land of the Clans, and then StarClan!" The calm, soothing voice of Sol had risen, and a gleam of ambition shone in his eyes. There were stories of how he once took over ShadowClan, and almost every cat believed him a killer. _He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He wants to rule over the Clans._

**Alright, sorry for the wait, I wanted to upload two chapters at once, so you got Border Battle **_**and **_**Captured for the price of one! LOL! So I have I few things to say. First, Sol is an EXTREMELY hard character to write! Second, I'm sorry for all the grammar mistakes in here. Third, Thanks for so much GREAT feedback! And last, happy mothers-day! First person to review gets…a signed picture of Lionblaze!**


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